


Lights Will Guide You Home

by elizabethrene



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, bravery in the face of hatred, reaction to mass shooting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-14
Updated: 2016-06-14
Packaged: 2018-07-14 23:05:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7194554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizabethrene/pseuds/elizabethrene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bitty and Jack react to the tragedy in Orlando together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lights Will Guide You Home

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't get this out of my head. I don't think it's too heavy, as I'm still learning how my writing muse works. Please don't be shy about constructive criticism!

Bitty wasn’t in Providence this weekend. He had a game Saturday afternoon and homework that needed his attention so he and Jack had decided to spend Sunday together on Skype instead. However, when Bitty woke up to the horrible news of what had happened in Florida while he was sleeping, he couldn’t stay away.

Lardo knew what he was going to ask her before he had any words out. She handed him her keys, told him she loved him, to be careful, and to give Jack a hug from her. Bitty knew he was lucky and if he hadn’t had the option of driving to Jack, he knew his team would be there for him however he needed them to be today. But none of them understood the way Jack would understand. At least, not that he was aware of. He suspected Nursey and Dex may have leanings to his orientation but he wasn’t one to make those assumptions before he had the facts. 

He jumped in the car and sent Jack a text to let him know he was on his way before he took off toward the highway. A text to Jack was necessary. They had learned that the hard way a few months ago when they had both decided spontaneously to surprise the other by showing up on their doorstep at the same time. 

Bitty blamed his nerves and sadness for how long the drive seemed to take this time around. It seemed like he’d been driving for hours by the time he pulled up outside Jack’s condo. He ran up to his door and let himself in with the key Jack had given him at Christmas. When he got his bearings, he noticed the sound of the shower running and headed towards his comfort. It seemed unreal to him that a year after gay marriage was legalized across the nation, a gunman could open fire on them. He didn’t feel safe anywhere knowing this kind of hatred still existed.

He shed his clothes and let himself into Jack’s massive shower and threw his arms around his middle, savoring the smell of a freshly clean Jack Zimmermann.

Jack turned around in Bitty’s arms and circled his own around the smaller man. He had seen Bitty’s text as soon as he woke up and jumped in the shower so he was ready to spend the day cuddling and consoling each other through their grief and pain. 

“I know, baby. I know” Jack said as he rubbed Bitty’s back up and down.

Bitty hadn’t realized he was crying until he sniffled and gasped for breath. “I get it now, sweetheart. I get why we need to stay hidden from the public. It’s too much. It’s just too much, knowing how dangerous it still is out there for us.”

Jack had been pondering this since he figured out why Bitty was making a spontaneous visit when they had planned to stay in their respective homes for the weekend. 

Jack ushered them out of the shower, dried them off and headed towards his bed. The tragedy that occurred in Orlando overnight was devastating to the LGBT community and Jack’s first instinct had been to hide. But Bitty made him a better person and he wanted to be an example in this rotten world. But Bitty’s reaction to this attack made him nervous. What if they had just flip flopped their views and Jack was ready to come out but Bitty wanted to stay hidden?

“Bitty, about what you said in the shower…is that really how you feel?” Jack asked.

“What do you mean? It’s how you feel too, right?” Bitty responded, confused by the question and the tone in Jack’s voice.

“It was, and I understand why it is how you are feeling now. But I think I’ve had a change of heart, mon coeur.” Jack took a deep breath before he continued. “What happened last night was terrible. I’m not denying that. And it might make no sense for me to feel this way as a result of it but I want to set an example. I want to show the LGBT community that now is not the time to hide. That there are strength in numbers and life is too short to hide who we are because others are too scared of the unknown.”

Bitty took a deep breath, taking in everything Jack said. “I am the luckiest man in the entire world. Jack Zimmermann, you are the bravest, kindest, sexiest man on the planet and the world deserves to have you out in it to look up to,” Bitty sad before he dove in for the most passionate kiss they had experienced together to date.

“Seriously? You don’t think I’m an idiot for coming to the realization now that it’s actually more dangerous for us to be out? You were nearly hyperventilating in the shower because you were so scared,” Jack responded lovingly, kissing the top of Bitty’s head and they cuddled together.

“I was panicking, Jack. I was in shock and so sure that coming out was the worst thing we could possibly do. But I think that you are right. We can’t hide who we are from the world just because we are scared. Life is too short, just like you said. We need to make the most of the time we have while we can. I am so proud of you, Jack. You truly are a role model and one hell of a sexy role model,” Bitty finished.

“I don’t want to be sexy to anyone but you, my love. I’ll talk to George tomorrow about where we go from here. For now, let’s just enjoy our day together before we have to return to reality.”


End file.
